When Noah Bernamoff was growing up in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, there was always a jar of pickles in the fridge, he writes. Here’s the recipe for the sour pickles they make at Mile End.

25 kirby cucumbers

16 cups water

6 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt

2 to 3 dried arbol chiles (see note)

3 fresh bay leaves

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 tablespoon dill seeds

8 garlic cloves, halved

1 bunch dill

Vegetable pickling brine (see recipe below)

Wash the cucumbers; remove any dried pieces of flowers from their base. Discard damaged or bruised cukes.

In a large non-reactive pot or container, combine the water and salt and stir until the salt is dissolved. Place the cucumbers in a large non-reactive container and add enough of the salt solution to cover them. Discard any leftover solution. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature overnight.

Rinse the cucumbers and pack them snugly into half-gallon mason jars or other large and non-reactive sealable containers: how many fit in a single jar will depend on their size and shape. With kitchen scissors, cut the chiles and bay leaves into thirds and place them in a bowl with the mustard seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns and dill seeds. Stir to combine. Divide the spice mixture evenly among the jars of cucumbers. Do the same with the garlic cloves and dill.

Pour enough of the vegetable pickling brine into each of the jars to cover the cucumbers completely. Keep cukes submerged as you pour. Reserve unused pickling brine for another pickling recipe. Cover the jars tightly and let the cucumbers marinate in the refrigerator for at least two weeks before using, turning the jars upside down and then back a couple of times every two days to redistribute the pickling ingredients. Left whole, the pickles will keep in the fridge for up to eight weeks: they won’t keep as well after being sliced.

Note: Look for arbol chiles at a Latino foods shop — and substitute two teaspoons crushed red pepper if you can’t find any.

Vegetable pickling brine

This is the mother brine used at Mile End for making many of its pickles, including the sour pickles made from kirby cucumbers, its pickled beet and pickled fennel, Noah Bernamoff writes in The Mile End Cookbook. The brine can be stored for up to two months at room temperature.

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt

10 tablespoons sugar

3 cups plus 4 cups water

3 cups cider vinegar (not “cider-flavoured”)

3 3/4 cups distilled white vinegar

Combine the salt, sugar and three cups of the water in a very large non-reactive pot, such as stainless steel, and warm the mixture over medium heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved completely and liquid appears totally clear. Stir frequently to ensure sugar doesn’t burn at the bottom of the pot. Add the cider vinegar, white vinegar and remaining water. Stir. Allow mixture to cool completely, then transfer it to containers, cover and store at room temperature until needed.

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